Bookbinding machine



Dec. 8 4"931.

R. E. ACKLEY BOOKBINDING MACHINE Filed June 10, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet Dec. 8, 1931. R. E. ACKLEY 1,835,685

BOOKBINDING MACHINE Filed June 10, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 1mm!!! i Dec. 8, 1931. R. E. ACKLEY BOOKBINDING MACHINE Filed June 10, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 iii:

Dec. 8, 1931. ACKLEY 1,835,685

BOOKBINDING MACHINE Filed June 10, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Dec, 8, 1931. R. E. ACKLEY BOOKBINDING MACHINE Filed June 10, .1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 llllllll' Ill Patented Dec. 8, 1931 UNETED: STATES PATENT oF icE "f RAYMOND E. YACVKLEY, or cnrcaeo, ILnrNoIs AssIGnon ro .n. R! DONNELLEY & sons COMPANY,- OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A conrona'rron orv ILLINOIS;

Booxmnnine MACHINE Application fil ed June 10,

means for trimming the edges of the groupedv signatures and causing the back edges of such signatures to present a planesurface disposed at right angles to the faces of thesheets and preferably without producing any discoloration or other impairment of the sheets and without producing any objectionable accumulations on the cutting mechanism. Another object is to provide a novel, simple and eifective machine for transverselysawing or grooving the backs of the grouped signafrom the following description.

Referring to the accompanying drawings: Fig-ire 1 is a view in side elevation of-a book-binding machine embodying my improvements.

Figure 2 is an enlarged View in elevation on line 2 of Fig. 1 of the rotary trimming mechanism forming a part of the machine this 1 tures'; and other objects as will be manifest view showing certainparts broken away.

Fig. 1; and

. Figure 3 is a top plan view nism shown in Fig. 2. I

Figure 4 is a partial, enlarged, horizontal sectional view, the section being taken at the lines 4-4 on'Figs. land 5 and viewed in the of themecha direction of the respective arrows.

Figure 5 is a broken view in sectional cle vation taken on the line 5 of Fig. 4 and viewed in the direction of the arrow.

Figure 6 is a partial, enlarged view in side elevation. and section showing the sawifor forming grooves in the back of the book."

Figure 7 is an enlarged view in end elevation of the machine as viewed on the line :7 of

1929. sci-m1 no. 369,861..

xFigure 8, a fragmentary perspective sectional view of the machine; a i

The particular illustrated machine comprises'a conveyor 8, formed of a pairof endless chains arranged side by side, and preferably extending throughout the length of the machine and which grips the upper portions of a book,'represented at 100, and which is fed to it'at one end and retains this same grip upon the book until it is dischargedat the opposite end. This leaves the lower, or unsupported, end of the book free to be grasped by other conveyors represented at 9, 10, andll arranged in series lengthwise of the machine directly below the conveyor 8 and which assist'in performing various opera-' tions upon the book. 1

. In the machine shown the conveyor 9 holds 1 the lowe-r'ed-ge of the book firm while it is being trimmed by trimming mechanism-represented at 12 and .constitutinganembodt. ment of my invention, and also while a transverse notch or groove is producedtherein by means of a rotary saw device also embodying my invention. a The conveyor '10 operates to fan the lower portion, or back edge, of the book to one side so as to expose overlapping edges ofthe sheets to gluing mechanism represented at 13 as described and shown in my said application.

The conveyor 11 is provided for holding the lower portion of the-back again in :a flat positionwhile a super is appliedthereto by mechanism 14 as described and shownin my said application; the conveyor llaalso holding the lower portion of the book while a cover is applied to the back of thebook and firmly pressed thereagainst by means. of mechanism representedat 15 and described and shown in my said application, following the operation of which the book passes outv through the .chute attheend ofthe machine to cross-feeding mechanism '16. 7

The two endless elements comprising the long conveyor 8 are carried .bya suitable gear drives 21 at the tailiend of thexcon-j veyor which aresubstantially likethe one shown in Fig. 5 which, together with a similar drive, drive the conveyor 9 and which is hereinafter explained in detail.

The several conveyors are driven by means of a motor 22 (Fig. 7) which has'a belt 23 which drives a pulley 24 on'a'shaft 25 carried in suitable bearings on the-main frame and which extend substantially the, full length of, the machine asshown in Fig. 1 and drives various parts of the mechanism. fk gear 26 on the'shaft 25'drives an idler 27 which, in turn, drives a gear 28 on. ashaft,v 29 which likewise extends substantially the full length of the machine. Thegears26 and 28 are of the same size so that the shafts V 25 'and' 29 are driven in-the same direction and at the same rotative speed.

books are always in step with the several mechanisms of the book-binding machine, 'fiarti'cularly the super feeding mechanism 1'4 and the cover feeding mechanism 15. V

= The trimming mechanism represented at 12 andshown particularly in Figs. 2 and 3 comprises a frame having journalledtherein twofvertic'al shafts 36 (one only'of'which is shown) and each having-a worm wheel 37 both of which are driven by means-of a worm 38' on the shaft 39 of a motor 40. The two shafts 36 carry at their upper ends rotary kr'1ives41 which arespaced a. short distance apart, the cutting edges ofvthese two knives lying in the same horizontal plane and beneath the path of thebooks'which is shown by dotted lines in Fig.-

These two knives are set at an angle to the path of the books so that the'cutting edges of the two'knives overlap on the path of the books as shown in Fig. 3.

r The frame 35oontains alongitudinally extending groove 42 in which a bar 43 is slidable, this bar having a central pin'44 which is pivotaly mounted in an opening 45fin the bas'ea's shown in Figs 2 and -The angular positionof the' bar'43 is fixed byrbolt's '46 and the position "ofthe frame 35iwith respect to the bar 43 'is' fixed by bolts 47 extending intoi'slots -48 in the bar:43

;Tl1e knives 41 are'driven at such a speed as to' produce a differential between the speed of movementof the cutting portions of the knives and the speed of m'ovement of: the

books to effect a shearing action and preferably to cause the cuttingedges. to travel in the. general direction taken bythe booksbut at a faster iorYslower-Trata- Furthermore, it

is-preferred thatthe'speed differential referredto.be;approximately3to'1'.

By directly opposing the cutting edges of the knives 41 whereby they operate from opposite sides of the book, the tendency of the knives to force the sheets away from them and thus in deflected condition, which in the case of the use ofa single knife would cause the back of the book to extend otherwise than at right angles to the side of the book, is substantially equalized. Furthermore, by so positioning the knives that they overlap the path of movement of the book as shown in Fig. 3,.the cutting of all of the sheets of the book' is ensured and a better and more uniform cutis effected.

The abovc-referred-to differential between the speed of movement of-the book and the cutting edgeof the knife is highly desirable, as it overcomes objections incident to the operation of machines wherein the differ? ential is high.

V The high differential movement causes the sheets adj acent'the portions thereof'being cut, to become discolore'd because of the heat developed by the friction between the knives and the she'etsand, furthermore, produces smoke, requiring the use of ventilating systems for withdrawing it, and produces accumulations of brown, hard, scale on the knife which is difficult to remove, but which must be removed to cause the knife to continue to properly function. Where the differential provided for is as in the case of my machine asabove set forth, all of these objections are avoided without creating any other objectionable condition.

In the machine shown grinders 49 are placed at the sides of the knives'41 and slightly below the level of the latter so that these grindersmay be fed under the'knives, these grinders beingdriven in any suitable manner as by means of electric-motors 50. 'Each of the grinding units referred to, as a whole, may be raised'and lowered by means of a feed screw:51 so that thegrinders may be lowered when not in use and raised for the purpose of i2.

sharpening the knives.

Itwill be understood that the book, upon entering'the machine, is engaged near its upper part by the upper conveyor 8 hereinafter described. in, detail, and that this conveyor maintains a firm grip on the book throughout its travel on the machine. V

The lower belt 9 comprises two endless chain elements arranged side by side and passing around chain sprockets at opposite ends thereof, these sprockets at the righthand endof the belt 9 in Figs. 1, 4 and 5 bein represent'ed'at 52 and 53 and shown as keye to vertical shafts 54 and 55; The shafts 54 and 55 are each provided at its upper end with a w rm wheel the worm wheel on the shaft .54bei'ng represented at 56, these worm wheels meshing, respectively, with worms secured to the shafts 29'. and 25, the worm on shaft 29 being represented at 57. This samedrive is Tar-i vveyors are driven at the same speed;

The chain element of each conveyor 8, 9, '10 and 11, at one side of the longitudinalaxis of themachine, together with their operating shaft 29, are adjustable crosswise of the machine for adapting them to operate onbooks of difi'erent thicknesses as shown and described in my hereinabove-referred to appli cation.

The rotary saw device hereinbefore referred to and represented generally at 58 comprises primarily a drum 59, shown in Fig. 6, on which is mounted aspiral saw 60, the drum being driven by means of a chain 61 running over a'sprocket 62 on the shaft 29.

This spiral saw is so timed that the feed of the saw is the same as that of the conveyors 8 and 9. .The plates of the conveyor 9 are provided at their bottom edges withnotches'63 (Fig. 6). which are so spaced with respect to the spiral cutters that the latter rotate into registration with these notches. These notched plates thussupport the lower edge of the book while the cutter. 59 is forming slots therein and these plates also support the lower edge of the book very firmly while the book is passing over the rotary jknives ii. To ensure an even cut inthe notches formed in the bottom edge. of the book the spiral cutter 60=is set. at an angle to the path i of the books so, that no matter what the thickness of the book which is passing through the machine, the cutter will travel entirely across it thereby ensuring. the production of notches of uniform depth throughout the width of the book.

The endless'chains of the various conveyors referred to are. formed of links pivotally connected together by means of pins,

at which links the chains engage the sprockets with which they cooperate as hereinb e fore described. These chains also comprise a series of pivoted links disposed at the outer surfacesof the chains and between which the books are clamped by the pressure exerted by these plates for advancing the books by the conveyors, the chains, between the sprockets at the ends thereof, cooperating with backing members disposed at the inner sides of the chain to permit of the proper clamping'of the book. i p I 1 The arrangement of parts just described is illustrated and described in detail in my above-mentioned application and therefore detailed illustration and description herein appears to be unnecessary. It may be stated,-

however, that the above-referred-to pivoted links at theouter faces of the chains of the conveyor 9 are illustrated at 64 and the stationary backing members for the chains,at 65, the chains forming the other conveyors referred to, as also the backing members therei for, being of this same construction, it being other thereof.

understood, however,'-that the outer links of the conveyor 10,-:and corresponding with the links '64 of the conveyor 9 are laterally deflected in the same direction to cause the sheets of the bookat its lower'edge portion to bev come fanned before reaching the gluing mechanism 13 while moving in engagement with the peripheries of the gluing'rollers, as more specifically: describedcin the above-referred-toapplication. r 1 1 While I-haveillustratedand described a particular embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be understood as intending'to limitit' thereto, asthe same maybe variously modified and altered without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

W'hatl]l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: Y s

-. :1; Ina bookbinding machine, the combination of means for advancing a book, and means for trimming an edge of the book com prising cutter elements located atopposite sides ofthe edge to'be trimmed-so that each cutter operates as "a 2. In a,bookbinding machine, the combination of nean's for advancing a book, and

cutting support for the means for trimming an edge of the book comprising rotary cutter disks located at opposite sides o'f'the edge to be trimmed so thateach cutter operates as a cutting support for the otherithereof,- and means for rotating said disks. i

' 3. In a bookbindingmachine, the combination of .means i for advancing a book, and

means for trimming an edge of the book comprising rotary cutter diskslocated at opposite sides of the edge tobe trimmed and eachextending tangentially to a line at a slight acute angle to the linelof travel of the book, andmeans for rotating said disks;

4;. In a bookb nding mach1ne,'the combination ofmeans': for advancing a book, and

means for trimming an'edge of the book com-.

prising rotary cutter disks located at opposite sides of the'edge'to' be trimmed and so disposed as to produce overlapping cuts, and means for rotating said disks. u

5; In a bookbinding machine, the combination' of means for advancing a book, and. means for'trlmmmg an edge of the book comprising rotary cutter "diskslocated atfoppo sitesides of the edge-to trimmed and each extending inwardly beyondiitlie median'line of said edge to produce overlapping cuts,

and meansfor rotating said'di'sks.

6. In abookbin'ding machine, the combina tionfiof 'means fer adva ncing a book, and meansfor trimmingan edge of the'book comprising-rotary cutter disks at'opposite sides of theedge to be trimmed and disposed closely. adjacent to each'other in the same. plane one in advance of the other, and means for rotatingysaid disks.

(:JIn a b ookbindingmachinein Which it is desirable, to support the books close to the referred to belts,adapted to grip the other portion of the sides of said book, and a pair of, spaced disk cutters adjacent said second pair of pressure-belts for trimming said books.

7 8. In a bookbinding machine in which it is desirable to support the books close to the edge While being trimmed and farther from such edge in other portions of their travel, a pair of spaced pressure-belts running substantially the length of the machine and adapted to grip a portion of the sides of each book for supporting the same, a second pair of pressure-belts of less length than said firstreferred-to plates adapted to grip the other portion of the sides of saidbookcloselyadjacent theedge of the book, and a pair of spaced disk cutters adj acent said second pair ofipressure-belts for trimming said books.

9. In a bookbinding machine, a pair of spaced pressure-belts running substantially the length of the machine and adaptedto grip a-portion of the sides of each book for supporting the same, a second pair of pressurebelts, adapted to grip the'other portion of the-sides of said book, a pair of spaced disk cutters fortrimming the books, said outters being disposed adjacent said secondpair of'pressure-belts and located at opposite sides of the edge to be trimmed sothat each cutter operates as a cutting support for the other thereof, and means for driving the cutters.

10. In a bookbinding machine, a 'pair of spaced pressure-belts running substantially thelength of the machine adapted to grip a portion of the sides of each book for supporting the same, a second pair of pressure-belts adapted to grip the otherportion of the sides of said'book, a pair of spaced disk cutters for trimming the books, said cutters being disposed adj acent" said second pair of pressurebelts and located at opposite sides of the edge to be trimmed so that each cutter operates as a cutting support for the other thereof, and means for driving the cutters in the direction taken by said books but at agreater speed.

, :11. In abookbindingmachine, a pair of spaced pressure b'elts running substantially thelength of themachine and adapted to grip a portion of the sidesof each book for supporting the same, a second'pair of pressure-beltsadapted to grip the other portion of thesides ofsaid book, a pair of spaced disk cutters for trimming the books, said cutters being disposed adjacentsaid second pair of pressure-belts and located at opposite sides of the edge to be trimmed so that eachcutter operates as a cutting support for the other thereof, and means for driving the cutters at a different,circumferential speed from that of the book to produce a slicing action.

12. In combination, a rotary trimming mechanism having a pair of spaced disk knives having cutting edges lying in the same plane, means for carrying books over said knives, means for rotating said knives, and

swivel mounting for said trimming mecha nism whereby theknives may be adjustably moved about a verticalaxis to align the cutting edges to the path of said book, and means for slidably mounting said trimming mechanism on said swivel mounting. V

14. In a bookbinding machine,the combination of'means for advancing a book, and

means for trimming an edge of the book 7 comprising rotary cutting disks located at 0pposite sides of the edge to be trimmed and disposed in the same plane and one located in advance of the-other, the cutting edgeportion of each disk being beveled along one face thereof, said beveled portions extending on thefsame side of the plane of the cutting edges, and means for rotating said disks.

15. In a bookbinding machine, the combination of means for gripping and advancing a book, and means for trimming an edge of the book beyond said first-named means comprising rotary cutting disks locatedat opposite sides of the edge to be trimmed and disposed in the same plane and one located in advance of the'other thereof, the cutting edge portions of each disk being beveled along one face thereof, said beveled portions extending on the sides of said cutting edge portions remotefrom said first-named means, and means for rotating said disks.

16. In abookbinding machine, the combination of means foradvancing a book, and means for trimming'an edge of the book comprising adjustable cutter elements located at opposite sides of the edge of the book to be I trimmed so, that each cutter elementoperates as a' cutting support for the other cutter element. i

17 In a bookbinding machine, the combination of means for advancing a book, and means for trimming an edge of the book comprising cutter elements located at opposite sides of the edge to be trimmed so that each cutter element operates as a cutting support for theother cutter element, and means mounting said-cutter elements for adjustment 1 on a line substantially transverse to the line of advance of the book. a

18. In a bookbinding machine, the combination of means for advancing a book, and means for trimming an edge of the book comprising cutter elements located at opposite sides of the edge to be trimmed so that each cutter element operates as a cutting support for the other cutter element, and means mounting the cutter elements With fixed longitudinal spacing and for adjustment in a path substantially transverse to the line of advance of the book.

19. In combination, a rotary trimming mechanism having a pair of spaced disk knives having cutting edges, means for carrying books over said knives, means for r0tating said knives, and mounting means for said trimming mechanism whereby the knives may be adjustably moved to align the cut-c ting edges to the path of the book.

RAYMOND E. AOKLEY. 

